Antonia
by Audrey Lynne
Summary: A scared runaway enters the squad room, and Tony's life.  He's not the only one about to have his world rocked.  Tiva, McAbby.
1. Time to Stop Running

_ I hadn't intended to start another story so soon after finishing "Breathless," but this one Gibbs-slapped me as I was waking up and it won't go away. I know it's been done before, but my muse will not leave me alone until I put my own spin on it. This story starts after 9x13 and goes AU from there._

She was tired of running. Tired of making up stories about where she'd come from and where she was going, and tired of pulling up her hood and walking quickly each time ZNN ran its top headlines. Thanks to Greyhound, the Metro, and a bit of good luck, she had found her way to the Navy Yard – and NCIS headquarters. She only knew of them from the Internet, but she knew enough to realize it was not the best place for a young lady who did not want to be found.

This was a terrible idea.

She should have called first. But then they'd have probably tracked the phone and recognized her name from the news.

She might as well have just turned herself over to the police. But she thought perhaps he could save her.

He didn't even _know_ her. He might not even care. But she had to try. She was going to be in a lot of trouble once this was over, and if she didn't go in, it would have all been for nothing.

The security guy was kind of cute. She scribbled her name illegibly on the visitor's log and prayed they wouldn't recognize her from her ID, wouldn't read the date of birth too closely and realize she was underage. It wasn't like she was trying to buy alcohol.

"Now why did you say you were here again, Miss?" the security guy asked her after she'd cleared the metal detector.

She took a breath. "I'm here to see Anthony DiNozzo."

He nodded and pointed to a man in a suit who was approaching them. "This is Agent Carlton. He'll escort you."

Her nerves nearly got the better of her as she walked with the agent, politely answering his questions with as little detail as possible. She hoped he didn't watch the news. His expression was unreadable.

"This is the squad room," Agent Carlton said as they walked into a large room, filled with desks, people, and activity.

"Thank you." She looked around, trying to find the man who matched the pictures she'd seen.

"That's Agent DiNozzo's desk." Agent Carlton pointed. She looked, and at the sound of his name, the man who had been searching through a bottom desk drawer sat up. "And this is Agent DiNozzo."

He smiled, and stood up. "Yes, I am." He extended a hand, which she shook. "How can I help you?"

She shifted from foot to foot. "I...I'm kind of in trouble, and I don't know who else to go to." She looked into his eyes, and despite seeing nothing but concern there, she chickened out. "I'm sorry. This was a bad idea. I'll go now."

"No, no." He stepped out from behind the desk, made a shooing gesture to Agent Carlton, and put a hand on her shoulder. "If you're in trouble, I want to help you. How old are you?"

"Seventeen," she said.

"Do your parents know you're here?" he asked.

"That's kind of part of the problem." She squirmed. "My mom's out of the country and my stepdad...he's the reason I came here."

"Okay." He smiled. "You're safe here. I'm Tony, and this is my partner, Ziva." He gestured to a woman who was working at a desk across the aisle. "What's your name?"

"Antonia." She drew in a sharp breath as the plasma screen behind them displayed ZNN's news highlights and hoped something nationally important had happened in the past hour to generate some different news.

Tony's smile widened. "Good name. They call you Toni?"

"Annie, actually." She steeled herself. "I was named after my father. He never knew about me." He was starting to look uncertain, and she knew it was now or never. "My mother's name is Stacey Fuller."

She studied his reaction. His mouth opened, then closed. She braced herself for rejection.

"I...you're about to tell me I'm your father, aren't you?" Tony asked. He was staring. Across the aisle,. his partner was obviously trying very hard to look busy.

Annie nodded. Her mother had told her he was a cop, to find him if she was in trouble. Her mother hadn't mentioned how to apologize for the lack of a birth announcement. "I'm sorry to spring this on you, but I didn't know where else to go."

"No...no, don't apologize, it's...a lot to take in, but you made the right call." Tony cocked his head at her. "I feel like I should hug you or something."

"Okay." Annie reached out to hug him, finding comfort in his nervous embrace. He wasn't freaking out or telling her to leave, and that was good enough for her. "Um, I should probably also tell you that I ran away."

"I kind of figured," Tony said. He squeezed her arm. "We'll get it all sorted out."

"So you guys aren't going to make me go home?" Annie asked hopefully.

"Not until we're sure no one's going to hurt you there," Tony told her. "Now tell me what's going on with your stepdad."


	2. Time to Make the Call

To say Tony was in a state of shock would have been one of the greatest understatements of all time. His emotions were swirling around, conflicted. He remembered Stacey Fuller, the three months they'd spent together before he left Ohio. Neither of them had wanted a long-distance relationship, and so they mutually agreed to split up. Tony had heard nothing from her since then. No calls, no letters, not even the slightest suggestion that she might have been pregnant. If she had wanted nothing to do with Tony, as her lack of contact suggested, why would Stacey name her – their – daughter after him? Why would she tell Antonia – Annie – to find him in an emergency?

Part of Tony wanted to run for the hills, and while he wasn't proud of that part, it was there. Part of him was fiercely angry that something so important had been kept from him for so long. And then there was the part of him that saw his mother's eyes in that young woman and wanted to love her instantly, though he didn't really know her at all. What he _did_ know was that she had run all the way from Columbus, Ohio, to DC to find him, and to escape her stepfather. Even if she wasn't his daughter, she deserved all the help Tony could provide.

Stacey was some kind of hot-shot consultant now, and traveled a lot for her work – a _lot_. She apparently could be out of the country for months at a time. From the way Annie described her, she was a good mom when she was home, but when she wasn't home, there was the stepfather issue. His name was Lance, and everything Annie said about him made Tony want to refer to him as "Dick." He had been a charmer at first, sweeping Stacey off her feet and marrying her when Annie was seven, but as time had gone on, he'd shown his true colors. Lance resented the fact that Stacey had kept her maiden name for professional purposes, and probably even that Annie was another man's child.

Annie had tried to hide her tears when she talked about the way Lance always made everything her fault or her mother's, how he talked down to them, and the other emotional abuse he had heaped upon them. Annie used to stay with her grandparents when Stacey was out of town, but Lance had put a stop to that a couple of years ago, insisting Annie was "too much of a burden." Stacey promised her quietly that as soon as she got the promotion she was after, which would leave her in Columbus full-time, that they would leave. But things had gotten too bad in the meantime. Lance had hit Annie for the first time, and though he left no marks, Annie was sure he'd do it again. She used the Internet to find Tony, and took the money she had saved to buy a Greyhound ticket to DC.

Tony could tell that Annie was angry down deep, but mostly overwhelmed. That was okay, because Tony was livid enough for the both of them. He wanted to find Lance, and beat the crap out of him. Instead of catching the next flight to Columbus and doing so, however, Tony reluctantly resigned himself to the fact that he was going to have to go about this the professional way. He got Stacey's contact information from Annie, and took the girl down to Abby's lab, hoping Abby wasn't too busy to keep an eye on her for a few minutes.

"You'll like Abby," Tony told Annie in the elevator. "She's a Goth."

Annie smiled, then gave Tony a suspicious look. "She's not all emo, is she?"

Tony shook his head. "Oh, no. She's happier than most of us." Unless one got between her and someone or something she loved. "She'd probably eat your stepdad for breakfast, though."

Annie perked up. "Cool."

Abby's music was blaring when they walked into the lab, and she was bouncing in front of her computer in time to the beat.

"Abby!" Tony yelled above the music. "I brought you a new friend!"

Abby turned around, then waved and turned the music down to a reasonable level. "Oh, hi. I'm Abby."

"This is Annie," Tony told Abby. "Can you keep her busy for a few minutes while I make a phone call?"

"Of course!" Abby extended her hand to Annie, who shook it. "I'm just waiting on Major Mass Spectrometer right now."

"Major who?" Annie asked.

"She gives her lab equipment ranks," Tony explained. . "We're a military institution around here."

Annie giggled. "Cool." Her eyes widened as Abby turned her head and her spiderweb tattoo became obvious. "Ooh, cool tattoo."

"Thanks!" Abby smiled. "I have a bunch more, but..." She caught Tony's eye. "...But I should probably not encourage you to do the same! Right, Tony?"

"Right." Tony nodded. He didn't mind; he loved Abby the way she was. Still, Stacey might have different opinions on body art.

"That's okay; I hate needles." Annie looked around at the various lab equipment. "You don't have to draw blood for a DNA test, right? Can you just swab my cheek like they do on TV?"

"Of course we can," Abby assured her, then looked to Tony. "Why do we need a DNA test?"

All things considered, Tony realized, it was probably not a bad idea. "Well, uh..." He wasn't ashamed of Annie in the least – she was a brave kid – but he had hoped for more time to be able to explain things to his friends. More details from Stacey, and maybe some explanations. He decided to play it casual. Abby knew him well enough to read into it. "Turns out I'm a dad. Abby, meet my daughter."

Abby squealed and hugged Tony, then Annie, who seemed happy to be hugged. Poor kid probably wasn't hugged nearly often enough. "That's so cool!"

Annie's face lit up at the acknowledgment, and then even more at Abby's excitement. "Annie's short for Antonia. I keep thinking about dropping Annie, though, and using Antonia. It sounds more grown up. And, you know, I'm named after him."

Tony smiled, though he desperately hoped he'd be able to live up to the trust and flat-out hero worship Annie had heaped upon him. She had an image of him in her mind, and Tony didn't want to disappoint her when she got to know him. "Whatever you want to be called is fine. Annie's a good name, too."

"I'm still thinking about it." Annie shrugged. "So, how long does the DNA testing usually take?"

"Couple of days," Abby said, "but I can put a put a rush on it and get it in one."

Annie looked a little disappointed. "That long, huh?"

"Yeah, TV makes it seem so much faster." Abby looked to Tony. "So, do you want me to run it?"

"Probably a good idea." Tony nodded. But she looked more like his mother the more he looked at her, and he didn't suspect Stacey had any reason to lie. Speaking of Stacey, he really did need to call her and make sure she knew Annie was okay. "I'm gonna talk to her mom while the time zones are in our favor. You two okay here?"

"We'll be fine," Abby said. "You go do what you need to do."

By the time Tony left, Abby was already giving Annie a tour of the lab. Tony was mentally composing in his head what he was going to say to Stacey. He wanted to give her a piece of his mind for leaving her daughter with Lance, but he had to go about it gently. No sense burning bridges, though he knew he had every right to be angry with her for keeping his daughter from him all these years.

"Tony?" Ziva asked as Tony arrived back at his desk. There was both curiosity and concern in her tone. She would have been able to overhear Tony's conversation with Annie, and Tony knew she was probably full of questions of her own. Questions to which Tony probably lacked answers.

Tony waved a hand at his partner. "Later, Ziva. I need to talk to her mom."

"All right," Ziva said, but her expression told him she would not be put off for long. Tony was just glad Gibbs had been in a meeting with the director and McGee was off unscrambling someone's computer snafu when Annie arrived. He had no answers for anyone right now. "We will talk later, then."

Tony nodded, then took a deep breath and picked up the phone, dialing the international number he'd scribbled down on a Post-It note. Two rings, then an answer. "This is Stacey Fuller."

"Hi, Stacey." Tony wanted to pretend it was a wrong number and back out, but he had business to take care of, so he pressed on. Being a responsible adult was not always fun. "This is Tony DiNozzo."

Stacey gasped. "Tony." The was a long pause, then, "Annie found you, didn't she?"

"Yeah, she sure did," Tony confirmed. "She's safe here at NCIS."

"Oh, thank God," Stacey said. "Lance told me she'd run away; I've been so worried about her. She left her cell phone at home."

Probably intentionally, Tony figured. "She's all right. But I do need to talk to you about this Lance..."


	3. Time to Go Home

_Author's note: I liberated Katie-Bear and Amelia the Ninja Kitty from "Breathless." I love Katie-Bear so, and she became necessary to this chapter. Amelia comes along because this story (while it has become AU with the addition of Antonia) takes place after Ziva gave her to Tony. You do not need to read "Breathless" to understand, though I'll hardly discourage you. :) (Katie-Bear and Amelia only appear in its last chapter.)_

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><p>Tony's talk with Stacey could have gone better, but it could have been much worse. Stacey had cried – Tony <em>hated<em> to hear a woman cry – and she had apologized enough times that Tony stopped counting. Tony was torn between saying something like, "Too little, too late," and assuring her that it was okay. He chose neither, because it really wasn't okay, but he didn't want her to cry harder. Besides, his primary concern was Annie, and fighting with her mother was not going to help the case.

The one thing Tony couldn't let her off on – okay, the one thing after _not telling him he had a child_ – was leaving Annie alone with Lance, knowing what an absolute asshole Lance was. Sure, Stacey got to fly off to Europe and only get berated by phone, but Annie had to stay and cope with it, day in and day out. Stacey got a reprieve; all Annie had was the option to bring her father into it if things got too bad. _And isn't she lucky I'm not a douchebag who doesn't give a shit_, Tony thought, but again, he bit his tongue.

"I'm getting on a flight back to the States tomorrow," Stacey told Tony. "After I heard Annie ran away, it was the first one with open seats."

Tony would have camped out at the airport if it had been him, but he also wouldn't have left his kid with an abusive jerk in the first place. This was something else he considered telling Stacey, but settled for the less inflammatory, "Are you coming in to Columbus or DC?"

"My connection is out of JFK," Stacey replied. "I'll take the Amtrak to Washington from there. I can tell Lance I missed my flight and they had to reroute me out of Reagan."

"Sure, you can lie, but that buys you maybe a day or two," Tony pointed out. "Why not kick his ass to the curb?"

Stacey sighed, sounding tearful again. "It's not that simple. My company won't let me take Annie with me when I travel. I've asked. Besides, I can't leave her in a hotel room while I work."

It hadn't stopped Tony's father, but that was hardly a good example of parenting, either. "Then let her go back to your parents. She told me she liked it there."

"Yes, but Lance won't allow it anymore," Stacey countered. She sounded every inch the abused woman, and Tony was torn between sympathy and wanting to give her a Gibbs-slap to snap out of it. This was not the feisty woman he'd dated.

Tony shrugged, though the gesture was lost over the phone. "I can help you get a court order. This guy doesn't have to terrorize you or your daughter."

There was a long pause. "Okay, I'll think about that." She drew in a sharp breath, and Tony hoped she wasn't about to start crying again. She'd kept it at bay the last few minutes. "Thank you, Tony. You...you're being so kind, and...you don't have to do this."

"Yeah, I kind of do," Tony said. "This is my kid." Realizing belatedly that could sound like he was only doing this because he had to, he added, "For her, I want to." He had known his daughter for approximately an hour, but he was determined to do right by her. He already felt bad for missing seventeen years, though deep down, he knew that wasn't his fault.

Tony had been leaving for Peoria when he and Stacey broke up. They had been having fun together, but they both knew it wasn't "The One." Thus, it was hard to make a case for a long-distance relationship. Stacey had found out she was pregnant about a month later. At first, she didn't have Tony's number – and, upon realizing she could have called the police department in Peoria, she hadn't wanted to disrupt his life.

_"You were off, starting a new life, becoming a cop, and what was I? An advertising designer. Protecting the people seemed a lot more noble. I didn't want to ask you to give that up."_

Tony argued that he wouldn't have had to give it up. Cops had families. Even visiting his child on the weekends would have been preferable to being an absentee father. If Stacey had been so willing to change her life for her child, she could have moved. Tony could have found police work in Columbus. There were options. Stacey had been able to admit as much through her tears, and apologized yet again.

Tony's nightmare visions of years of back child support were laid to rest, at least. He had money, but not the kind of money people thought DiNozzos did, and he was relieved to hear that wasn't the reason Stacey had told Annie to seek him out.

_"I didn't want her to feel like she was out of options."_

Options, Annie definitely had now, and one of them was not going back to Lance by herself. Tony would sue for parental rights before that happened, and Stacey did say that his name was on the birth certificate. Stacey worried over where Annie would stay, and Tony said she would stay with him. He had a spare room, and it was serviceable though cluttered with college memorabilia and other treasures that had found their home there.

The conversation with Stacey ended on a civil, nearly hopeful note, and Tony smiled as he looked at Ziva. She was concentrating very hard – _too_ hard – on her computer screen. Tony had put her off because he needed to take care of more pressing concerns, but as long as Annie was safe with Abby, he had a few minutes to talk. "If you were McGee, I'd be calling you McNosy about now, Agent David."

Ziva raised her eyebrows at him. "I was not trying to listen in. Sound drifts this way."

"So it does." Tony knew he'd have been just as eager for details if the situation were reversed. "I'm surprised you haven't mangled any metaphors about putting horses before carts."

Ziva shrugged. "Things happen."

Tony waited for a crack about how it was only a matter of time before a child of his came calling. It was not forthcoming. "Come on, you know you want to say this day should have come sooner."

"It should have," Ziva agreed, "but so that you would have known your daughter before now." She smiled at the look Tony gave her. "It is tempting, but this is not the time for jokes. Some of us have tact that way."

Tony perked up a little at the small jibe. Ziva being openly nice to him felt weird. "Okay, so what do you want me to say? Because, I'll be honest with you, I don't really know how I feel right now."

"Nor do I expect you to," Ziva said. "But she seems like a lovely girl, and if you need me to accidentally put a hit out on this character of a stepfather, it can be arranged."

Tony smiled. "Thanks, Ziva, but I got this." He knew it was her way of saying she was there if he needed her, and he was grateful. "I need to go rescue her from Abby's death metal."

"I will see you later, then." Ziva wiggled her fingers at him in a wave.

Tony mimicked the gesture. "See ya."

* * *

><p>Tony's first stop after Abby's lab was autopsy. He peeked through the doors before bringing Annie in to make sure there weren't any dead bodies lying out in the open, then brought her in. "Ducky! I need a favor."<p>

Ducky smiled. "For you, Anthony, always." He reached out his hand to shake Annie's. "And who would this lovely young lady be?"

Tony smiled, and glanced about for any lurking Gibbses. "This is my daughter, Annie."

Ducky's eyebrows climbed into his hairline, but his smile widened. "A pleasure, my dear. I am Dr. Mallard, but you can call me Ducky."

Annie giggled. "Everyone here is so cool."

"I'm glad you think so," Tony said, patting her shoulder. "And autopsy is the coolest place of all, temperature-wise. Not so cool if you're a resident. We make Ducky work on living people sometimes too, though." He had explained to Annie on the way that he wanted Ducky to have a quick look at her to see if Lance had left _any_ trace of his abuse on her, even if Lance had only hit her once. It was one time too many. Tony looked at Ducky, trying to communicate with his eyes that he wanted to talk.

Ducky got it. "Mr. Palmer!"

Jimmy came out from around the corner. "Yes, Doctor?"

Ducky nodded at Annie. "This young lady is Annie, and she's visiting us. Could you show her around?"

Jimmy nodded. "Oh, of course."

"Thanks, Jimmy." Tony gestured from Annie to Jimmy. "Go on, take the Autopsy Gremlin Tour. I'm just gonna give the good doctor here the down-low."

"Okay." Annie nodded and followed Jimmy.

"Good kid," Tony said, before he realized he was talking about both of them.

Ducky nodded. "Yes. Now tell me, what's on your mind?"

"Her stepfather hit her," Tony explained, "and she said he didn't leave a mark, but I was kind of hoping you could look her over. If he left so much as a hangnail, I want to know about it."

"Of course," Ducky said. "I am curious, though, why you haven't mentioned her before. Is this a new development?"

Caught yet again by Ducky's perception. "Yeah, like an hour or so ago new."

"You seem to be taking it remarkably well," Ducky observed.

Tony shrugged. "I guess." He shifted from one foot to the other, knowing Jimmy and Annie would be back soon. Autopsy wasn't _that_ big. "If Gibbs talks to you, can we, uh, keep this quiet?"

Ducky frowned. "Surely you're not going to keep this a secret?"

Tony shook his head. "Oh, no, no. I asked Abby the same thing. I just...it's, I've got to figure out how to tell him."

"I understand." Ducky put an arm on Tony's shoulder. "I wouldn't fret too much if I were you."

It was hard not to. "I know he's not going to freak out, I just..." Tony took a deep breath and confessed, "I don't want to disappoint him."

"You won't," Ducky assured him. "He would only be disappointed if you were neglecting your responsibilities – which you clearly are not." He glanced at Annie as she and Jimmy came back in. "Now, I believe I have some work to do. Fortunately for you, I specialize in finding zebras where most other doctors would see a horse."

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><p>Fortunately and unfortunately, Ducky didn't find anything wrong with Annie, other than the expected emotional trauma. By the time Ducky was done with her, it was time to leave for the day, and Tony was grateful that Gibbs' meeting seemed to be dragging. He would definitely talk to Gibbs in the morning, but getting Annie fed and bedded down after her long trip was Tony's first priority.<p>

"Welcome to Chez DiNozzo," Tony said as he unlocked the door to his apartment.

Annie's smile was a mile wide. "Wow, you've got a ton of movies."

"That I do," Tony agreed. "We'll work on your education in the classics soon." He led Annie to the spare room. "This is where you'll be staying. It's not much, but the futon's comfy."

Annie's grin hadn't faded. "Better than a Greyhound bus seat." She stepped into the room, looking around. "Aw! Where'd you get the cute plushies?"

Tony had guessed she would ask about those. "I suppose I should introduce you. Annie, this is Katie-Bear, and that is Amelia the Ninja Kitty."

Annie laughed. "Where did they come from?"

Tony shrugged. "The cat showed up one day." He and Ziva both knew Ziva had sent it, but neither of them admitted it. "Katie-Bear, well, my old partner gave her to me, and Abby named her."

"They're so cute!" Annie squealed. "Was your old partner a woman, too?"

Tony nodded. "Her name was Kate. That's where Abby got the name."

"What happened to her?" Annie asked.

Tony supposed he should have expected this conversation when he admitted to the bear's origins rather than making something up. "She was killed in the line of duty."

"Oh, my God, I'm so sorry." Annie lunged forward and hugged him. "And that's why you kept the bear, huh?"

"Yeah." Tony held up a warning finger. "And when you meet Agent McGee tomorrow, keep Katie-Bear out of it. If she does come up, don't believe a word he says. The man lies." Kate had given the bear to Tony while he was still recovering from the pneumonic plague, back when he was barely able to stay awake for more than an hour at a time. Kate had caught him snoozing with the bear in his bed and tucked it under his arm for a photo. Tony thought he had gotten all copies destroyed, but McGee was crafty, because Ziva had either seen the picture or heard about it. Tony wasn't sure which it was, but he threatened her with more pictures from LA if it ever came up again.

Annie laughed again, and Tony wondered if he was romanticizing it or if she really did have his mother's laugh. "She looks a lot like my teddy bear at home, Mari. I...still sort of sleep with her. I've had her since I was a little kid."

"You're a girl; that's allowed." Tony noted that the only things Annie had in her backpack were a change of clothes and a purse. "Didn't bring her with you, huh?"

"She didn't fit." Annie shook her head. "It's okay. I don't need her to fall asleep. It's just...it's nice having her there."

"I gotcha." Tony took Katie-Bear off the shelf. He had kept the bear in its place of honor since Kate died, but he knew she would approve of his pulling the gift into service. "She told me she gets kind of lonely at night. I guess the cat disappears to God-knows-where." He handed the bear to Annie. "Keep her company for me?"

Annie's eyes widened. "Oh, no, I don't want to-"

Tony cut her off. "It's okay, really. If it makes you feel better, that's what's important."

"You sure?" Annie asked, though by that point, she was holding Katie-Bear tightly.

"Of course." Tony reached out to squeeze Annie's upper arm. "Now, what kind of pizza do you like?"


	4. Time to Get Real

_Author's note: It's the weekend, so I hope to get in a couple more updates. It's snowy and cold here in Chicagoland, and I intend to stay indoors as much as possible because of it._

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><p>Annie had been sleeping peacefully for a couple of hours, Katie-Bear tucked under her arm, when Tony finally dragged himself to bed. He didn't sleep, though. His mind was miles away as he stared at the ceiling, trying to prepare for the next day. How to tell his boss he was harboring a runaway – though with her mother's permission. How to tell Gibbs that Annie was his daughter. Fortunately, Gibbs didn't pay much attention to the major news outlets unless his attention was directed to them or it concerned a case.<p>

Tony also wasn't sure what to do with Annie while he worked, other than perhaps see if Abby would mind the company. Taking one's child to work was hardly in the NCIS policy book, but Annie was in Tony's custody for her own protection, and he doubted she would be any trouble. She seemed like a really great kid. One Tony wished he'd known seventeen years sooner.

Over pizza and Cokes, Tony had peppered Annie with questions, things a father should know about his daughter. Her birthday was January second, not quite a New Year's baby but close. Her favorite color: blue. She hated the color orange. She loved cats, was petrified of snakes, and couldn't decide on a college. She loved her mother, but they fought sometimes. She was spirited, and Tony could see her being a sassy one when it came down to it. She had a slightly crooked front tooth like Tony had when he was young, but she hadn't taken meticulous care of her braces and they had been removed early. Her favorite subject in school was science. Tony thought she was awesome, but as she talked, he could see the self-doubt Lance's words had inflicted upon her.

Annie drifted off in the middle of _Forrest Gump_, which she had declared to be her favorite non-Disney movie. Tony roused her enough to walk her to bed, and had tucked the sleepy teenager in before she could protest. Then he had time alone to think. Too much time, it seemed.

Gibbs had to know about this. That was the first order of business for the morning. A glance at the clock revealed it was only midnight, though it felt like later. Tony suspected he wasn't going to get much sleep until he talked to Gibbs. If it had been any other boss, he wouldn't have thought twice about waiting until the morning, but it was _Gibbs_. His surrogate dad, for all intents and purposes. Gibbs was usually working in his basement around midnight, so Tony grabbed his cell phone and risked a call.

Gibbs answered quickly, his voice alert. _Good_, Tony thought, _he didn't decide to go to bed early._ "Gibbs."

"Hi, Boss." Tony tried to find the right tone for this conversation, not that he was going to tell everything over the phone. Some things, one had to say in person.

"DiNozzo." Gibbs sounded neither surprised nor displeased. "What's up?"

"I've got a bit of a potentially sticky situation," Tony admitted. "I kind of needed to call upon Rule Forty-Four today." _First things first – hide the women and children._

"The forties," Gibbs said thoughtfully. "Is it an emergency?"

"For her it is," Tony replied.

"I'm listening," Gibbs told Tony.

"Her name is Annie, and she's seventeen," Tony said. "She ran away from Ohio because her stepfather was running her down on a daily basis, making her feel like crap. He only hit her once, but like you always say, that's all it takes to have a case. I had Ducky look her over. She's fine, physically. I talked to her mother, but she won't be back from Belgium until tomorrow, late."

"So how did you find her?" Gibbs asked. "Are her mom or stepfather in the service?"

"Neither." This was starting to get into the ground that Tony wanted a face-to-face conversation. "She found me. There's more, but I think that's something we should maybe sit down for. You know, guy to guy. Boss to agent." He tried to play up the light angle. "I just don't feel comfortable talking about stuff when you're not in slapping distance."

"Where's the girl?" Gibbs asked.

"Sleeping in my spare room." Tony had considered wrapping Annie in her blankets and carrying her to his car for a ride to Gibbs' place, but he didn't want her to wake up in the car and freak out.

"I'll come over," Gibbs declared.

"You sure, Boss?" Tony asked. "I know I didn't wake you up, but it's still late."

"If you're invoking Rule Forty-Four, I need to know the details. _All_ the details," Gibbs insisted. He always knew when Tony was holding out on him. "I'll be there soon."

"Okay," Tony agreed. Not that he had much choice. When Gibbs made up his mind about something, it might as well have been chiseled in stone, with the exception of the rare times Rule Fifty-One was called for.

* * *

><p>When Gibbs arrived, Tony shut the door to the spare room to keep from waking Annie, but not before Gibbs took a peek at her. "Thanks for coming, Boss."<p>

Gibbs made a noise to acknowledge the thanks, then got down to business. "So you're taking care of a runaway who found you, despite neither of her parents being Navy or Marines."

"I _did_ talk to her mother." Tony felt obliged to point out he wasn't doing this half-assed. "She's on a flight home tomorrow, but she was the one who told Annie to find me." He took in a deep breath, and pressed forward. "I knew her after we both graduated from OSU."

Gibbs said nothing, but his expression was interested.

"I...Stacey and I dated for three months. We broke up when I left for Peoria...one of the exes I parted on good terms with, though" Tony steepled his fingers in front of him.

"Obviously, if she trusts you with her daughter," Gibbs observed. The look on his face was unreadable, but it felt like Gibbs had figured things out with his special Gibbs Radar. Yet he waited for Tony to talk his way through it, like always.

"Yeah, see, that's the thing, Boss." Tony tried not to shift in place too much, but he had a lot invested in Gibbs' reaction to this news. "Apparently, my name's on the birth certificate."

Gibbs' eyebrows raised slightly, but that was the only surprise he betrayed. "Are you sure this girlfriend didn't want anything from you?"

"Stacey's sure," Tony said, "though I never did get a good answer from her about why she didn't tell me. Annie is short for Antonia. I'd take that to mean she wasn't pissed at me for getting her pregnant, but she still didn't tell me. She wanted to do it on her own, at least until this asshole husband of hers came along." He sighed. "I shouldn't be so hard on her. She's abused, too. Annie's never seen her get mom hit, but she's pretty sure it happens."

"But there's a lot of decisions she made before then that you have to account for," Gibbs pointed out.

"I know!" Tony gestured around the room with one arm. "All this, the swinging bachelor pad, I've been living this life not knowing I had a kid who was going through hell."

"Not your fault," Gibbs said simply, but firmly. "You didn't know then. What matters is, what do you plan to do now?"

Tony set his jaw. "Fight like hell for her."

Gibbs smiled and patted Tony's shoulder. "Atta boy." He gave Tony a look. "You did have Abby run the DNA, right?"

Tony nodded. "Abby put a rush on it, so it should be in this afternoon. I'm pretty sure she's a DiNozzo, though. I mean, she looks like the Paddington side of the family, but she just...fits. And even if she's not mine, after all this, I'm not gonna cast her out into the snow."

Gibbs snorted, as if he had never considered giving up on Annie to be an option. "We'll get this sorted out for her."

Tony nodded. There was a long, only slightly awkward pause between them, before Tony asked, "So...you're not disappointed?"

Gibbs frowned. "Hell, no. Why would I be?"

"I don't know," Tony confessed. "It's just..." He sighed. "Ducky said you wouldn't be."

"Ducky's a smart guy." Gibbs reached out and put a hand on Tony's arm. "Let me tell you something my dad told me, years ago."

"What's that?" Tony asked, eager for advice.

Gibbs offered Tony a crooked smile. "Things are about to get very real."

Tony smiled as well. "Sounds about right." He didn't want to make too many comparisons or pry too deeply, given the wounds Gibbs carried about the fate of his own family. He thought about the logo on the t-shirt Annie had worn to bed, something from a video game McGee would likely have known everything about_. _"We do what we must because we can."

Gibbs nodded, chuckling lightly. "Sounds about right."

"Any other words of wisdom?" Tony asked.

Gibbs shrugged, a rare tender look crossing his face. "Just love her. You'll figure out the rest."

That, Tony could do. He couldn't say he had an instant, all-consuming bond with Annie already, but he was very fond of her and protective as hell. Love would come; he was sure of it. "Thanks, Gibbs."

"Sure." Gibbs looked thoughtful. "So you had Ducky look her over to see if there was any trace of the abuse?"

"Just emotional," Tony reported, both glad and disappointed.

"Figures," Gibbs ground out, and Tony could hear the unspoken_, "The bastard,"_ hurled in Lance's direction. He patted Tony's arm. "I need to get back and get to bed. Amira's coming over early for breakfast before her babysitter gets there so her mom can go shopping. If you and Annie want to join us, you're welcome."

"Thanks," Tony said, genuinely grateful, "but I'll let you guys have your time. I've still got a lot of catch-up to do myself." He smiled hopefully. "Abby told me her court date tomorrow got canceled. I don't want to leave Annie here by herself. Do you think...?"

"As long as she's safe and out of the way," Gibbs said, answering Tony's question before it was finished. "Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do."

_True, that._ Tony was relieved to have Gibbs taking the news so well. He valued Gibbs' input greatly. "Thanks again, Boss."

"Not a problem." Gibbs turned toward the door, then stopped and gave Tony a look of amusement. "Good luck. Anything I can do?"

"A couple of Xanax would be nice," Tony joked.

"Not my department." Gibbs held up his hands. "Go ask Ducky." The expression he turned on Tony was all reassurance. "You'll do fine. Girls are easy, until you start trying to keep them away from boys."


	5. Time to Meet the Family

On the drive to work, Tony learned all about Annie's favorite musical artist, Jonathan Coulton. He had asked what kind of music she liked, and she was more than happy to elaborate and even sing a few bars of some of his songs.

"I'm not a hipster or anything, but it's kind of cool to be into someone a lot of people don't know about." Annie toyed with her hair, dark blonde and wavy, and looked out the window. "I always wanted to visit DC, even if this isn't exactly how I planned it."

Tony smiled. "I'll have to take you on the official tour sometime. I've lived here for years and I haven't seen everything yet. The Greyhound station is not my recommended introduction to this town."

Annie shrugged. "It wasn't so bad. Mom told me that one summer, she took the Greyhound from LA to Sacramento so she could see California during her vacation. I guess she stopped in some pretty dicey places along the way."

"I'll bet." Tony had heard the story of Stacey's California vacation, too, back when they were together, but he was sure she had censored a lot of the details for Annie. He and Stacey had met at the end of January 1994, flirted for awhile, then finally started dating, and they had stayed together until the middle of April. They had been thinking about taking a summer vacation together, but plans had changed when Tony took the job in Peoria. Tony didn't regret taking the position – he'd learned a lot – but he did wish the timing had been different. Maybe then he would have been around when Stacey learned she was pregnant. Tony was not comfortable with the idea that his daughter was only a year away from being a legal adult, and he barely knew her.

Tony's phone started chirping, letting him know he had a text message, and he glanced at it while they were at a red light. Stacey. He had given her his cell phone number in case she needed to reach him. _In London. Flight delayed. Will be there tomorrow afternoon instead of AM. _

_Well, that's just perfect,_ Tony thought, though he certainly didn't mind a few hours more – or longer – with Annie before her mother arrived. It did delay a discussion of Annie's future, however, and she was foremost on Tony's mind.

Annie was quiet for a few minutes, and Tony was just about to ask what was on her mind when she finally spoke. "If the DNA test comes back and Mom was wrong about you being my dad, then what?"

Tony bit back a sigh. Stacey had assured him there hadn't been any other candidates, but he had worried about the same thing. It didn't change how he felt about Annie, but it did change some of the options. "Then you don't have to worry about being genetically predisposed to cracking bad jokes at inappropriate times." Like then, maybe.

Annie gave him a fondly tolerant look, but her eyes were serious. "No, for real. What if I'm not yours?"

"It might mean I don't have the ground to fight for rights in court," Tony admitted, "but it's not going to change anything else. I'm not letting you go until I know you'll be safe – and don't even think about not calling me because you get busy with your social life when you do go back to Columbus. I'm a federal agent. I will track you down."

Annie laughed. "I don't have much of a social life, actually. Just some people I talk to at school."

Tony wondered if Lance had anything to do with that. It was typical of an abuser, cutting their victims off from social outlets to tighten their control. Another good reason to punch the guy in the face when Tony met him. He tried to redirect to happier topics. "So, about this Coulton guy you like. What's your favorite song?"

"Wow." Annie frowned thoughtfully. "It depends on my mood, I guess. Most of the time, it's 'Code Monkey,' but sometimes, when I'm thinking about Lance, it's 'Want You Gone.' Not all of it applies, but there's this great line...'I used to want you dead, but now I only want you gone.'"

Tony grinned. "I can arrange for that." Stacey's cooperation would be helpful, but Tony would do without it if necessary. He generally was of the opinion that never involving lawyers was one of Gibbs' more ingenious rules, but Tony still knew lawyers who owed him favors, and he wouldn't hesitate to call on them.

Annie's brown eyes were wide, her expression hopeful. "That would be awesome. I'm so glad I found you. I almost chickened out."

"Well, I for one am glad you didn't." Tony only hoped he could live up to the faith that Annie put in him.

* * *

><p>Before he sent her off to play with Abby – and he was sure there would be a lot of playing between Abby's lab duties – Tony brought Annie through the squad room to be properly introduced to the rest of his team. She had met Ziva briefly, but it had been hectic, and McGee had been off unscrewing screwed up computers.<p>

"Good morning, campers," Tony called as he and Annie walked up to his desk.

Ziva was just taking off her coat, and she smiled. "You are in a good mood."

"No reason not to be." Tony put a hand on Annie's back. "I know you saw her yesterday, but Annie likes ninjas, so I thought we'd say hi."

"If she's a ninja, how come I can see her?" Annie asked.

"She's not very good at it," Tony teased.

Ziva smiled, and extended a hand to Annie. "It is good to meet you. I am Ziva, and you should probably ignore anything Tony has told you about me."

Annie shook Ziva's hand. "I love your accent."

Ziva brightened. "Thank you."

Tony leaned in toward Annie for dramatic effect. "We try _not_ to feed her ego around here." He led her over to McGee's desk. "This is the man you want to fix your computers, but not to give you dating advice. McGee, this is Annie."

McGee rolled his eyes, but quickly smiled and shook Annie's hand. "You should definitely ignore anything he told you about me."

"He said you wrote a book," Annie told McGee.

McGee nodded. "Well, that part's true. Two, actually. How do you know Agent DiNozzo?"

Annie looked to Tony, as if for permission, and Tony nodded at her. He was looking forward to McGee's reaction. "He's my father."

McGee blinked, then stared, then looked suspicious. "You're putting me on, aren't you?"

"Nope." Tony shook his head. "Abby's still got the DNA running, but I think she's a keeper." In private, he and McGee would probably talk, and McGee would get the whole story, but Annie hardly needed reminding that her father had been unaware of her less than twenty-four hours ago.

"Well, then." McGee didn't seem to know quite what to think. "I look forward to getting to know you."

"This doesn't mean Agent Tommy gets to make babies with Agent Lisa in your next book," Tony warned.

McGee snorted. "Not what I had planned, but thanks for the advice."

Annie looked surprised. "Oh, my God, you wrote _those_ books? My friend Casey loves them!" She giggled. "She told me all about them. She would be so happy if Tommy and Lisa made babies. Or McGregor and Amy."

"That is an excellent idea!" Tony patted Annie's arm. "You should tell Abby about that idea today."

"He won't if he wants to live," Gibbs said, rounding the corner, the ubiquitous cup of coffee in his hand. He set it down on his desk and came over to shake Annie's hand. "You must be Annie. I'm Gibbs."

"Yes, this is the Boss-man." Tony smiled. Now that his team was meeting his daughter, it was starting to feel a tiny bit more real. "He's kind of like The Most Interesting Man in the World, but scarier."

Gibbs smacked Tony lightly, almost like a reflex, and it made Annie giggle. Tony had told her about the Gibbs-slap – part warning, part love, and surprisingly refreshing at times.

"I told Gibbs about Lance," Tony told Annie, "and he's going to help us keep you safe."

"Thank you," Annie said.

Gibbs gave her arm a squeeze. "We take care of our own here."

After a few more minutes of letting Annie get to know everyone, Tony really did have to get to work, even if there were no major cases immediately at hand. There was always paperwork, reports, cold cases, and everything else that came up. He took Annie down to Abby's lab, where Abby was more than happy to have a companion for the day. She and Annie had taken a real liking toward one another when they were hanging out the day before.

Shortly after lunch, Abby called Tony at his desk. "What's up, Abs?"

"I put a rush on the DNA, like I told you yesterday, and it's back." Abby sounded excited, and Tony was able to guess what the test had showed. "It's official – you're a daddy. Congratulations!"

Tony had seen this coming, but he was glad to have the confirmation. It made it that much easier for him to get parental rights. Even after Lance was out of the picture – and he would be, Tony would see to it – Tony wanted his fair share of time with Annie. "Thanks, Abby. That's great."

"I'm so happy for you!" Abby exclaimed. "Here, hang on."

After a second, Annie came on the phone. "You heard the good news?"

"That is excellent news," Tony agreed. "I know a great place downtown we can go to celebrate tonight."

"So I can officially start calling you Dad, huh?" Annie asked.

Tony was happy to welcome the title.

* * *

><p><em>Thanks so much for all the reviews, alerts, and favorites. I smile at every one!<em>


	6. Time to Get to Work

Dead ensigns trumped dinner plans, unfortunately – for both the ensign and Tony. Not long after Abby called Tony with the DNA results, Gibbs got a call about Ensign Thomas Wyatt, who had been found murdered in the wooded area behind his apartment building.

As he grabbed his gear and headed for the truck, after calling Abby to let her know he might be late, Tony was beginning to wonder how he was going to be able to balance parenting with his work. Columbus would likely be Annie's main place of residence, but he did want her to be able to come and stay with him sometimes. She was old enough to be left on her own while Tony worked, but he hated to do that to her.

Murders did not always equal all-nighters; unless there was a critical lead, the team usually got to go home, even if it came late with the expectation of an early morning. The team was dedicated, but they were not superhuman. During the ride to Bailey's Crossroads, Virginia, one of the northern suburbs, Tony promised himself he would make it up to Annie for their delayed evening together. He knew he had to be realistic, that his job sometimes meant crazy hours and canceled days off, but he was also afraid of becoming his father and putting work before everything else.

No, Senior had put _making money_ before everything else. His son sometimes came next, and sometimes fell down the list when a pretty lady came along. Tony knew he wouldn't be like that with Annie. He wasn't sure what he was doing yet, but he knew what _not_ to do. It was just like an article Tony once read on a humor site – an unconventional source for wisdom, but it was applicable. _Remember all the mistakes your parents made, and don't do that._

Normally, the trips to crime scenes were filled with teasing, but in the absence of it, Tony realized he instigated most of it, and he was preoccupied with his thoughts. Ziva had alternated between acting tough and playing things light in the month since Ray's betrayal, and for this trip, she watched Tony quietly.

"What?" Tony asked, once he became aware of Ziva's scrutiny. "I'm not going to explode or anything."

Ziva shook her head. "Forgive me for being concerned about my partner."

"I'm okay," Tony insisted. "Got a lot on my mind, but I'm all right. Let's just do this job so we can get some sleep tonight."

McGee leaned forward from the back. "Good idea. We shouldn't be out too late if we can get the scene wrapped up in decent time."

Tony pointed his thumb back over his shoulder toward McGee. "Yeah, what he said."

Ziva nodded, looking satisfied.

"What about you?" Tony asked, realizing it had been awhile since he'd checked on how Ziva was healing after Ray. He tried not to ask too often, not wanting to irritate or smother her, but he'd had his heart broken before, too, and he wanted Ziva to know he would be there if she needed him.

"Me?" Ziva asked. "I am fine. Why do you ask?"

"Forgive me for being concerned about my partner," Tony echoed, trying to get a rise out of her.

Ziva wasn't taking the bait that easily. "I am not the one who was hit with the shell casings yesterday."

It took Tony a minute to figure that one out. "Bombshell, Ziva. And, as I said, I am fine. And since you're fine, that's just fine. How are you, McGee?"

McGee gave Tony a sarcastic little smile. "Fine."

"Perfect!" Tony was glad they were arriving at the crime scene; there was no better diversion. "Time to get to work."

"Sure is," Gibbs agreed, breaking his silence. He was usually content to let the rest of his team chat it up on the way to a scene. "Let's get to work."

* * *

><p>This was a messy one. Ensign Wyatt had been eviscerated, much like Agent Pocci years ago, except Pocci hadn't suffered the indignity of being nibbled on by wildlife. As Ducky and Palmer worked to get a time of death, Tony and Ziva surveyed the rest of the scene while McGee interviewed the people who had stumbled upon it.<p>

"Find anything?" Tony asked when he met back up with Ziva after the two of them had split up to cover a good-sized radius around the body.

Ziva held up an evidence baggie containing a wadded-up tissue. "Only this, but it may not be related."

"Yeah, there are some major litterbugs out here," Tony said. "You wouldn't believe how many Coke cans I found." They had been iced over, obviously left since the last snowfall, so Tony wasn't concerned about them. Fresh ones might have had DNA on them, though Tony had no idea who eviscerated someone after or before drinking a Coke. However, he'd seen stranger things while working at NCIS.

There were so many footprints from people coming and going that all Tony could do was photograph them and hope Abby's software could tell one from the other if the need arose. Next, another look at the body, after Ducky determined the ensign had been killed between ten and twelve hours ago.

Ziva was squatting down beside the body, examining the carnage, when she suddenly stood up and excused herself. Tony finished what he was doing before going after her, just in time to see her vomiting into a trash can placed at the edge of the woods, right before the clearing that led to the apartments. He paused for a second, allowing her time to compose herself, then casually wandered over as Ziva looked around, probably trying to figure out if anyone had seen.

"If you're getting the flu, don't breathe on me," Tony said lightly, his tone low enough not to carry.

Ziva looked embarrassed. "It was nothing. I must have allergies...the drainage down my throat was making me ill."

"Oh, okay." Tony played along, though Ziva hadn't had allergies as long as he'd known her. "I thought maybe a really nasty one was getting to you, but I suppose that's just for probie agents."

"I have seen worse." Ziva tugged at her jacket to straighten it, and headed back toward the body.

"Okay, back to business." Tony followed, glad to note that Ziva's dignity had mostly been spared because everyone else was busy working. His sixth sense was working overtime, though, sensing there was more going on with Ziva than she was ready to admit to. He would figure it out, though. In between working, after he'd figured out Annie's situation. Like always, he had multiple balls in the air.

At least it kept him from getting bored.


	7. Time to Talk it Out

_Thanks, as always, for all the reviews, alerts, and favorites! I try to get back to all my reviews personally, but if I miss you, know that you are definitely appreciated._

* * *

><p>Ensign Wyatt's death was tragic and violent, but there were no leads or pieces of evidence time-sensitive enough to warrant investigating through the night. Around seven-thirty, Gibbs declared that they were done for the evening and they would jump right back on the case first thing in the morning. And by "first thing in the morning," Gibbs meant an hour earlier than their usual report time. But the team knew to savor what time they could when they were working a big case.<p>

Tony was relieved to see that Annie was not terribly put out about his working late. She was in Abby's office, rocking out to 80's metal with Bert. When she saw him, she bounced out and hurried over to Tony, throwing her arms around him in a hug. Tony was startled at first, but quickly hugged her back.

Annie pulled back enough to look up at his face. "Too much?"

"No, no." Tony squeezed her once more, then tousled her hair. "I like hugs. Ask Abby. She hugs me all the time."

Annie laughed. "I think she hugs everyone."

"I totally do," Abby said. "That's just what the world needs, more hugs."

Though he wouldn't have chosen those exact words, Tony agreed, especially where Annie was concerned. So he hugged her again.

After a late dinner, Tony brought Annie back to his apartment. She had been the one asking the questions this time, about him and his life. Tony had glossed over the less savory parts of his youth, but he'd still been able to tell a few good stories. And then Annie, being a teenage girl, had started prying for information about Tony's relationship with Ziva.

"We're just friends," Tony told her. "Good friends. You know, we're partners. We watch out for each other."

"Partners like Starsky and Hutch or partners like Mulder and Scully?" Annie asked, then frowned. "Actually, that's probably a bad example, because some people think that Starsky and Hutch had something going on."

Tony laughed. Stacey had been a huge _Starsky and Hutch_ fan when he'd known her. "So your mom makes you watch her old show, huh?"

"Actually, I kind of like it," Annie admitted. "But you totally didn't answer my question."

Tony would have loved to have been able to give her a straight answer. If he had one. Lately, it seemed like things were pushing him and Ziva closer together, that their always flirty vibe held more. But when they tried to talk about it, things came up, jokes were cracked, distractions inserted themselves. There were always reasons it wasn't going to work. Rule Twelve. EJ and Ray had been removed from the equation, but now Annie was an additional factor. "We goof around a lot."

"Do you think she's pretty?" Annie asked.

That, Tony could answer. "She's gorgeous. But that doesn't mean I want to get with every pretty girl I see – no matter what McGee might tell you. And he, by the way, has a crazy little crush on a certain lab technician of our acquaintance." If Annie wanted to play matchmaker, there was nothing like diverting her to another target.

"Oh, I know." Annie nodded confidently. "He came into the lab today, and it was _so cute_, watching him try to check her out when she wasn't looking. I asked Abby about him, and she says they used to go out, but they stopped when he got assigned here. Something about the boss having rules. But she still totally likes him The way she talks about him, I can tell."

"So is there anyone _you_ like?" Tony asked. He supposed it was something he should know, if only so he knew who to threaten if it became necessary. He hadn't asked Annie about anything related to her knowledge of sex. It was important – and by seventeen, she was going to know about the birds and the bees. Tony just wasn't sure he wanted to know how _much_ she knew.

"I'm totally in love with Daniel Radcliffe," Annie said, looking very serious, but then she grinned. "I know, in my dreams, right?"

Tony laughed. "Well, if we're going to bring _him_ into it, then I have a full list of contenders to be your new stepmother."

Annie's smile turned shy. "There _is_ this guy at my school; I have fifth period biology with him. But he probably has a girlfriend. I mean, I've never asked him, but he's totally hot. I'm sure some other girl got to him first."

"What's his name?" Tony asked.

"Caleb Jackson." Annie grabbed at her pocket. "Oh, right. I don't have my phone. We did a lab project together and I took a picture. He's so nice. He didn't try to make me do all the work like a lot of people do on group projects, and he always says hi to me in class."

Well, it wasn't a full background check, but knowing that this Caleb was nice to Annie was a start. It was weird to think that a week ago, Tony would have been trying to decide which designer suit to wear the next day, and now he was in his living room, listening to his teenage daughter talk about a boy she liked. The emotions were still swirling, and Tony knew they would probably be no easier to deal with when he faced Stacey. He was still winging it, but he was doing better than he thought he would.

When Tony realized that if Stacey didn't get rid of Lance, he would fight for custody, he knew things would eventually work themselves out.

* * *

><p>Tony had just seen Annie off to bed and was getting ready to crawl into his own when his phone rang. It was Ziva.<p>

Tony was glad to hear from her; he had been worried after she'd gotten sick. He felt a little guilty for not being the one to call her, but he'd gotten busy with Annie. He tried to sound casual as he answered. "Hey."

"Hi." Ziva paused for several long seconds. "I hope it is not too late. I know you have your daughter with you."

"She's in bed." Tony shut the door to his room so the sound wouldn't carry and disturb Annie. "Which is where you should probably be, if you're still feeling like you looked today."

"I am fine," Ziva insisted, a little too quickly. "It is...embarrassing, but that is all."

"I don't think anyone else saw, if it makes you feel any better," Tony said, "but you might want to let Ducky check you out tomorrow."

"It is nothing." Ziva didn't sound as sure as she should have. "It has come and gone for the past week."

"You've been pretty stressed out lately," Tony pointed out. "Have you talked to anyone since the Ray thing?"

Ziva scoffed. "I have survived worse than Ray Cruz, I assure you. And I am not stressed out."

"Sure you are." Tony knew Ziva liked to be the brave soldier whenever possible, but it wasn't good for her. "Breaking up is enough to stress you out. Then add the cases we've had lately, and Valentine's Day coming up, and the commute to work...ergo, you get stressed out. And stressed out people get sick. Unless you're pregnant."

"Do not even joke of such a thing," Ziva snapped, though not angrily. More like anxiously.

"Oh, Zee." Tony sighed. "You think that might be it?"

"The thought has crossed my mind," Ziva admitted, her tone perilously uneven. "Ray and I...the night before the dinner we planned, we..."

Tony spared her having to explain further. "You welcomed him back. Got it. That was, what, four weeks ago now?"

"Almost five," Ziva said.

Enough time for her to have had another period – as much as Tony tried to avoid even thinking of that subject most of the time. She wouldn't have been worried if things were normal in that department. "So it's late enough to take a test."

"I bought one, but I have not used it yet," Ziva told him.

"So what are you waiting for?" Tony asked. "Go, do it. I'll wait."

"But what if it is positive?" Ziva asked. "Then what am I supposed to do?"

"Get used to the idea that your kid's going to have Dumbo ears and bad hair?" Tony joked.

"_Tony_!" Ziva hissed.

"Sorry." Tony had known that was a dangerous – and terrible – joke, but it let him take the conversation a level deeper. "You're really scared, aren't you?"

"I am not ready to be a mother," Ziva confessed. "Perhaps one day, but definitely not now and definitely not _his_ child."

"One night," Tony reminded her. "I know you were smart enough to use protection."

"Yes," Ziva allowed, "but it is not fool-proof."

Tony had the living proof of that sleeping in his spare room, but that wouldn't calm Ziva. "Listen, Ziva, you've got options if you are, but if you're not, wouldn't you rather sleep easy? You is what you is."

"I know," Ziva admitted. "I am being foolish."

Tony wished he could give her some in-person moral support. "I can't leave Annie by herself, but if you want to come over here so I can hold your hand after you pee on the stick, I'll wait up." He knew Ziva would see past his bluster.

"No, that is all right." Ziva sighed deeply. "I will do it. As you said, maybe I will sleep easier tonight."

Tony waited on the phone while Ziva went to retrieve the pregnancy test and use it. When she came back on the line, he asked, "Well?"

"I have to wait three minutes," Ziva said. "Should I watch it or leave it be?"

Tony guessed she was asking herself the question, but he answered anyway. "If it's positive, it'll probably turn quicker than that. If it's still negative, that's a good sign."

"How do you know these things?" Ziva asked.

"Phys ed major," Tony reminded her.

"Oh, right." Something that sounded like Ziva's stove timer went off in the background. "Let me look." She sounded apprehensive, but calmer than before. Her next words were in Hebrew, but she sounded relieved.

"Negative, huh?" Tony guessed. "Congratulations. No ninja babies for you."

"It is good to know." Tony could hear her mood lighten. "At least that is not the explanation for the queasiness."

"I'm still going with stress." Her initial stress had probably started it, then worrying she might be pregnant pushed it over the top. "I know, you've been through worse, but your life isn't on the line with this one. You don't have adrenaline pushing you to survive. There's just adrenaline with nowhere to go. Talk to Ducky; he may know someone. Or talk to Ducky. Or, hell, talk to _me._ Gibbs, anyone. Just...talk it out."

Ziva was resistant at first, but slowly, she opened up. As she told Tony of the times she felt Ray didn't care, of the cruel things he said to hurt her when they fought, of how she was worried she might never find someone who appreciated her, Tony wanted to deck the guy. And to think he'd encouraged Ziva to consider marrying that asshole. He was glad Ziva had punched Ray. Her bruised knuckles had healed, but her bruised heart was taking longer.

It was far too late for either of them to be up when the conversation finally wound down. Uncharacteristically, Ziva had done most of the talking.

"Thank you, Tony," Ziva said quietly, just before they hung up so both of them could get _some_ sleep.

"Any time," Tony told her, and he meant it. What else were friends for? And even if there might be more than friendship down deep, it was not the time to worry about that. "Good night, Ziva."

"Good night."

Tony hung up the phone, put it on the charger, then checked on Annie one more time before he got into bed. He fell asleep quickly. Though most days he was up before his alarm, it would not be one of those days.


	8. Time to Face Reality

_Author's note: __Apologies to everyone for the delay in posting. I've been running around crazy lately, and during the work week, I have to be up at four in the morning so it doesn't leave me as much time to write as I'd like._

* * *

><p>Tony was on his third day of parenting, and already he was being faced with quandaries. Fortunately, the latest was a benign sort of problem. Tony actually wasn't sure whether teenagers should be allowed to have coffee or not. He was pretty sure it hadn't been allowed when he was in high school, but he went to Rhode Island Military Academy, where smiling was frowned upon in many circumstances. But Tony failed to see the difference between allowing a cup of coffee in the morning and a Caf-Pow in the afternoon. He was certain the coffee would have been less caffeinated, and he saw teenagers drinking Caf-Pow all the time. So he'd let Annie have coffee even though it was noon. And she'd accepted it gratefully, mentioning in passing that her mother didn't know of her latte habit.<p>

"Great, she's gonna kill me if she finds out about this," Tony sighed. They were on their way to pick Stacey up from the Amtrak station.

"No problem." Annie shrugged. "We dispose of the evidence and say nothing. Besides, it's not like it's a big deal. _She_ drinks a lot of coffee. And even if she did care, she's hardly ever around anymore."

Yeah, they were definitely going to have to do something about that if Lance did not immediately get kicked to the curb upon Stacey's return to Columbus. "As long as you don't go all Hammie the Squirrel on me and start pinging off the walls."

Annie laughed. "I saw that movie. The planet had to slow its rotation just so you could see him moving at normal speed."

"Yeah, so don't do that," Tony advised. "I don't want to have to try to follow every blonde blur that goes whizzing past."

"Do you know if Mom's going to go back to Columbus right away or if she's going to stay here?" Annie asked. "I know I have to get back to school, and I'll probably be in a little bit of trouble there, but hopefully I can get the absences excused so it doesn't hurt my grades. I just couldn't take it anymore with Lance."

"You were in the custody of a federal agent for your own protection," Tony reminded her. "If that's not excused, I don't know what is. I'll take care of any trouble for you."

Annie hooked an arm around his waist; to hug Tony full-on, she'd have spilled her coffee. "Thanks. You're the best."

Tony smiled. "Let's see if you're still saying that when you start acting like a teenager and I have to act like a dad." Or when she found out how imperfect he could be.

Annie laughed again. "Oh, I'm sure you'll be fine. As long as you don't get all, you know, 'Antonia Eve Fuller...'" She put her hands on her hips, her tone mocking as she said her full name.

"Your middle name is Eve?" Tony asked. He probably should have already asked about that.

Annie nodded. "Yeah. I'm not a fan. With a middle name like that, she should have just named me 'Christmas.' But I like being named after you."

Tony liked it, too. He had always assumed that if he had a son someday, there would be another Anthony DiNozzo in the world. He hadn't counted on a daughter inheriting his name, but it was pretty cool. Tony had always told himself he would be the father his own hadn't been, but now he had seventeen years of absentee parenting behind him. That wasn't his fault, he knew, but it bothered him anyway – and he was about to pick up the woman responsible for it at the train station. He'd keep it civil in front of Annie, of course, but Tony _would_ talk further with Stacey about the issue.

* * *

><p>Annie wasted no time in providing commentary about the shields in front of the Roman soldiers decorating Washington Union Station. She'd read the sign informing passerby that the soldiers were indeed anatomically correct – and also naked – but the shields had been added to make the architecture more family-friendly. "I mean, really, it was the style back then. So they've got balls. So does half the world's population. Deal."<p>

Tony laughed. "Not a big fan of censorship, are you?"

"You could say that." Annie nodded. "I make it a point to read banned books."

Tony liked her spunk. Stacey had been a firebrand too, back in the old days, but from what Tony could tell, she'd gotten run down by life and lost her passion. Tony hoped he could make sure that Annie never lost hers, and he already knew the first step toward that. Lance had to go, and while Tony would have been happy to show him the door, Stacey was going to have to make the call.

By the time Stacey arrived, Annie had moved on from censorship and was telling Tony about a guy who did Jonathan Coulton songs in sign language on YouTube. Annie broke off in mid-sentence and ran to hug her mother. "Mom!"

Stacey enveloped Annie in a hug. "Don't you ever scare me like that again, young lady."

Annie squirmed, but only a little. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you where I was going. I was afraid Lance would find out."

Stacey frowned. "I wouldn't have told him, if you let me know why you were going."

Annie rolled her eyes. "I've been telling you forever how he acts, especially when you're gone. And you tell him everything. Even when you don't want to, he worms it out of you."

Stacey didn't deny the claim. "You let me worry about Lance." Quickly, she turned toward Tony. "Tony. Thank you for taking care of Annie."

"Not a problem." Tony wasn't just saying that because Annie was there. "She's a great kid."

Stacey smiled. "Well, I still appreciate you doing it for me."

"I did it for her, not you." Tony kept the anger out of his tone only through force of will. Physically, Stacey hadn't changed much – she'd gained a few pounds, colored her hair. But she wasn't the same person Tony had known. To be fair, he wasn't the same person he'd been back then, either. But Tony was confident that his changes had made him a better person. Stacey...he wasn't sure. Fresh out of college, she didn't put up with anyone's crap. What happened to that? If not for herself, she should have at least stood up for her child.

Stacey had the grace to look chagrined. "I know you probably hate me. I did what I thought was best at the time."

"I don't hate you," Tony said. Some of her decisions, sure, but Tony didn't make it a habit of hating many people.

"But you still think I screwed up." Stacey cautiously met Tony's eyes.

Tony nodded. "Yeah, but you have an opportunity to make some better choices now – for you and Annie. When are you going back to Columbus?"

"Tomorrow night," Stacey said. "I have tickets for Annie and I out of Dulles."

That gave Tony a little time, though not as much as he'd have liked. The Wyatt case, though gruesome, was proceeding nicely, which was one of the reasons Tony had been able to take an extended lunch break to get Stacey. The case was important, but not so much that the team couldn't do without him. Tony was pretty sure he could get away, especially with all the personal time he had accrued. Gibbs probably wouldn't stand in his way, not when family was at stake. "What flight?"

"You don't have to drop us off," Stacey protested. "We can take a cab."

"I'm not dropping you off," Tony explained. "I'm going with you."

"Cool!" Annie exclaimed.

Stacey shot her a hushing look. "Tony, this is my life."

"And it's my daughter's too," Tony reminded her. "I'm not going to be Big Brother here. I'll let you have your private conversations. But I do have a stake in this, and I have a feeling it's not going to be as easy as just telling Lance to get out. I hope that's your plan."

Stacey looked uncomfortable. "It's complicated."

"You're gonna chicken out, aren't you?" Annie asked.

"Antonia," Stacey warned.

"Don't take my name in vain." Annie's tone was glib. She crossed her arms over her chest. "I can't go back to that psycho. And don't tell me he has issues. I know that. I researched PTSD. It doesn't give you a license to be an asshole."

Annie had mentioned the PTSD in passing, supposedly a memento from Lance's time as a SEAL. Lance, it seemed, loved to tell war stories, of all the great heroic things he had done. Thing was, the man had no military service record whatsoever that Tony could find. He really disliked it when people invented military careers for themselves, but especially so in this case. "No, it doesn't. And whatever he has, it's not from the military." Tony had told Annie of his findings – she had proceeded to laugh her ass off, then admit she had suspected Lance was embellishing at the very least. According to him, anyone who might have been able to confirm that he served was dead. "I looked him up. No service record."

Stacey was quick to explain. "He said he wouldn't be easy to find, because of all the black ops stuff he used to do. They didn't keep a record of him or his team because it was so top-secret."

Tony couldn't believe she actually bought such a story. "First of all, that's bullshit. There's always a record, even for the blackest of ops. Civilians can't access them, but I'm a Navy cop. If he so much as farted in uniform, our computers would know about it." He'd had McGee double-check the records to be sure.

Stacey sputtered. "But he showed me his old rank pins and a patch from his unit."

Tony shrugged. "Amazing what you can find on eBay. I'm surprised he didn't make himself an admiral." He paused for dramatic effect. "Did you know you can buy an entire admiral's uniform online if you know the right sites? It's apparently only illegal to actually pretend to be one. You can dress like one all you want." Annie was grinning like a jackal, and Tony had to restrain himself from high-fiving her. There was reality orientation and then there was rubbing Stacey's nose in it, and Tony was trying not to be a jerk.

"But he has PTSD." Stacey was clearly not ready to accept that she'd been suckered. "He saw a psychiatrist who confirmed it."

Annie looked like she wanted to give Stacey a good, hard shake. Tony didn't blame her. "Duh! Mom! You can get PTSD from places other than the military! That's _if_ he told you the truth about what the doctor said. He never lets the doctor talk to you – that's his 'private business.'" Annie made exaggerated air quotes. "For all we know, the doctor said he's a psychopath."

Stacey glanced around. "Could we take this to the car? I'm not used to airing my family business in the middle of Union Station." Changing the subject again. Tony was a master of evasion, so he was quick to recognize it in others.

"Fine by me." Tony took the larger of Stacey's suitcases. He would let it go under the guise of respecting Stacey's privacy for now. That guarantee only lasted until they were in the car, however. And Tony knew the longest route possible to Stacey's hotel.

He also was not above pretending to get lost if they needed more time.


	9. Time to Fly

On his way back to the Navy Yard, Tony decided that his life had gotten really weird lately. He'd just dropped his daughter and his former lover off at a hotel so he could head back to work, where he would ask Gibbs for time off in the middle of a case. Providing that worked out, Tony would be going back to Columbus in a little more than twenty-four hours. He hadn't been to Columbus in years. As much as Tony liked nostalgia, there simply wasn't anything other than his college glory days tying him to the city.

Or, rather, there _hadn't_ been.

As he strode up to his desk, Tony adopted a calm, cool facade, one that had always served him well over the years. It was so familiar, it almost felt comfortable, even when he was freaking out inside. "So, how's it going?"

Ziva looked up from her computer screen. "Ensign Wyatt's roommate's alibi has been verified. We are still attempting to locate his girlfriend for questioning."

Well, it was progress. Part of Tony had been hoping they'd had a major break on the case in the couple hours he was out, so he could feel less guilty about leaving the team during an investigation. As much as his ego hated to think his team could function without him, he knew they would be fine. "Good, good. Where's Gibbs?"

"Coffee run," McGee answered. "He should be back any minute." After typing something quickly, McGee turned away from his computer. "How'd it go with your ex?"

"Oh, great." Tony shrugged, his tone breezy and sarcastic.

McGee winced. "That bad, huh?"

"No, not really," Tony admitted. "But she's got it in her head that this Lance is just misunderstood and acting out – like _he's_ the teenager or something. She's heading back to Columbus tomorrow with Annie."

"And?" Ziva asked after a moment, when Tony didn't elaborate.

Tony sighed. "And, as much as I hate to get involved in her business, this is my kid's life we're talking about." He sat down behind his desk, but turned so he could see his friends. "This asshole's got Stacey so beat down. I don't know if she can stand up to him or not. I really don't, and that's kind of scary."

"Sounds like she might need a little support," McGee observed, though his tone held no judgment or suggestion.

"Exactly." Tony spread his hands out in front of him. "So what else can I do? I might not be really happy with her or her parenting decisions, but I've got to do what's best for Annie."

Ziva frowned, looking thoughtful. "Could you keep her here with you until this situation is sorted out?"

Tony shook his head. "I'd love to, but she has to get back to school. She has a whole life to worry about." Out of the corner of his eye, Tony spotted Gibbs returning, and hopped to his feet. "Boss!" Gibbs gave him a curious look, waiting. "Um, well, not to ambush you or anything, but can we talk?"

Gibbs set his coffee down on his desk. "Sure." He glanced at Ziva and McGee. "Hear anything from Wyatt's girlfriend?"

"Nothing yet, Boss," McGee said. "I'm trying to find out where she works."

"Good." Gibbs nodded, then moved toward the elevator, motioning for Tony to join him. When the doors shut, ensuring their privacy, Gibbs asked, "What's up?"

Tony knew Gibbs would understand his reasons, but it still felt really weird to be having this conversation. "I know we're in the middle of a case, but I'm gonna need to take some time. A couple of days, probably."

Gibbs nodded. "This about your daughter?"

"Yeah." Tony nodded as well. "Her mother's taking her back to Columbus tomorrow, but I don't get the impression she's in a real hurry to get rid of the problem. I might have to apply a little...gentle persuasion. I would wait until we've got this case solved, but-"

Gibbs cut him off. "Sometimes, you do what you've got to do. Family first."

Tony smiled, relieved. "Thanks, Boss."

Gibbs flicked a switch to turn the elevator on again. "When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow night," Tony said as the doors opened. "I'll be sure to send you all a postcard."

Gibbs shook his head and moved to his desk, but he was smiling.

Tony slid behind his own desk and woke his computer monitor from sleep mode. He had work to do, both personal and professional.

* * *

><p>Dulles was a needlessly complicated airport, as far as Tony was concerned, but he had managed to score a seat on the same flight as Annie and Stacey. An open return ticket had cost him a fair bit extra, but it left him the flexibility he was going to need. Stacey had already been tempted to leave Lance on more than one occasion, but years of emotional brainwashing couldn't be undone in a day.<p>

"We'll manage," Annie assured her mother when the subject came up mid-flight. "We'll go stay with Grandma and Grandpa. I know they won't mind if we don't have anyplace else to go."

Stacey sighed. "It's not that simple. You know how Lance gets when he thinks he's been wronged."

Annie shrugged. "So if he comes over and harasses us, call the police. Get a restraining order. I'd do it, but apparently you have to be eighteen if you're not a ward of the state."

Stacey smiled unconvincingly. "We'll see how it goes." She turned to Tony, who was sitting across the aisle from them. "So! How does it feel to be going back to Columbus?"

Tony allowed the change of subject because Annie looked interested in his answer. "Not as big a deal as I thought it would be. Those were good days, but things have changed." He definitely wasn't the same person he'd been in college. Or ten years ago, for that matter.

"So no hanging out with the old frat guys, huh?" Annie teased.

Tony laughed. "Yeah, some of them turned out okay, but that's not what I had in mind this week." After a second, memories of his college misadventures led to other thoughts. "Oh, but did I tell you I met the guy who broke my leg?"

"Really?" Stacey asked. "Did you challenge him to a rematch?"

"Not exactly." Tony grinned. "Let's just say he and I are even now..."

* * *

><p><em>Sorry again for the delay...I finally got this chapter done today, then the site's login page went down!<em>


	10. Time to Cut the Crap

It took Tony a few minutes to convince Annie that, no, he was not putting her on – he really knew Brad Pitt. Of course, then he had to admit that it wasn't exactly the same Brad Pitt she was thinking of, but that was part of the fun. Though the flight from DC to Columbus wasn't a long one, it helped pass the time.

Stacey's parents met them at the airport. Tony had met them while he and Stacey were together, and they'd seemed like pretty cool people. They'd even given Tony and Stacey the same room together when they stayed the night. Tony had been a bit surprised, but Stacey's father had shrugged and said, "Saves you the trouble of sneaking to each other's rooms in the middle of the night."

"Grandma! Grandpa!" Annie ran over to embrace her grandparents, who instantly smothered her.

"Thank goodness you're safe, darling." Stacey's mother released Annie, but still held onto her hand. "Welcome back, Stacey."

"Thanks, Mom." Stacey smiled, hugging her mother and then her father. "You guys remember Tony, don't you?"

"Of course we do." Stacey's father reached out to shake Tony's hand. "How have you been?"

Tony gave them his most winning smile. Even though they'd been nothing but delightful when he was with Stacey, he still felt like he had to impress them. "I'm good, Mr. Fuller; thank you. How about yourself?"

The older man waved a dismissive hand. "Oh, you know, a little of this, a little of that. Can't complain if I'm still breathing. And I told you before, the name's Mark."

Stacey's mother reached out to clasp one of Tony's hands in both of hers. "It's so good to see you again, Tony. And don't even think of calling me 'ma'am.' I'm Sophie, just like always."

Tony found it somewhat amazing that they were welcoming him like an old friend, considering that he had only spent a handful of nights in their company, but he supposed being Annie's father did count for something. "It's good to see you, too."

Mark leaned in, telling Tony not-so-quietly, "I always did tell Stace she was making a mistake by not calling you after you left here."

Stacey had the grace to look embarrassed. "Dad!"

"What?" Mark shrugged. "It's true."

"See, Mom, I _told you_." Annie's voice held all the confidence that could be afforded a teenager who knew she was right.

"Fine, fine." Stacey shook her head, looking flustered. "I screwed up. I'm well aware of that by now. Can we go get the bags, please?"

As they made their way across the concourse to baggage claim, Sophie fell into step beside Tony. "We're so glad you were able to make the trip. I know all these changes must be so sudden for you."

That was putting it mildly, but Tony played it cool, like he always did. "I'm used to surprises in my line of work. Most of them aren't as good as this one. Annie's a great kid."

Sophie laughed. "We think so, too, though we don't get to see her nearly as often as we'd like these days." She shot a pointed look in her daughter's direction.

Stacey rolled her eyes. "Mom, you can't blame me for Lance's decisions." Tony recalled her having a less contentious relationship with her parents before, but he wasn't surprised that Lance would have put a strain on that. Best to cut his victims off from those who would support them.

"No, but I didn't raise you to be any man's doormat, either," Sophie insisted. "Where's your spunk?"

Tony had been asking the same question, but he kept his mouth shut.

Stacey sighed heavily, plucking her smaller bag off the conveyer belt. "It's complicated."

"So are a lot of things." Annie helped Stacey pull the larger suitcase off the belt. "Just tell him, he was the last one in, so he can be the first one out."

Stacey elbowed her gently. "Someday you'll understand relationships and you'll see it's not as easy as you think."

Annie looked away, disdainful. "No one's going to treat me like crap again."

Tony hooked Annie into a one-armed hug. "Darn right." He was rewarded by an affectionate smile. Reluctantly, Tony let go and moved to take Stacey's monster suitcase; he and Annie only had their carry-on luggage.

Stacey's cell phone rang while they were walking to the car. She fished it out of her purse. "I've got to get this; it's Lance."

"Lance, Lance, stinky pants," Annie chanted in a low tone, then burst into giggles.

Stacey made a shushing noise. "What, you're five now?"

"Six," Annie told Tony, very seriously. "Just like in _Calvin and Hobbes_."

"A diabolical genius with an overactive imagination," Tony mused. "I can live with that."

Stacey had stepped away from the group to have her conversation with Lance, and Tony glanced her way. She had her back turned toward them, but he could still hear her without straining. "Yes, my parents got us... No, that's okay; I know you're busy."

Busy doing what, Tony wondered. Annie had told him that due to Lance's "personal issues," he didn't deal well with the stresses of regular employment. Instead he sold stuff on eBay. He bought things from garage sales and marked them up, then listed them. Tony knew a lot of people tried to make a living doing that, but apparently it wasn't that hot a source of income in this economy. Stacey's job paid well enough that Lance never had to work that hard, and both Annie and Tony suspected the main reason he tried to be so controlling of Stacey was that he didn't want to lose his gravy train. It was another reason – apart from the physical evidence, or lack thereof – that Tony was sure Lance had never served in the military. He seemed to have no work ethic of which to speak.

After Stacey apologized for something for the fifth time in under two minutes, Annie rolled her eyes and pantomimed strangling somebody. Tony was grateful Annie had the kind of self-esteem and spirit that let her recognize she wasn't the one in the wrong. It had taken her a few years, but she finally had enough and drew the line. Tony only wished he could wave a magic wand and have Stacey come to the same place. She knew in her head that the relationship was toxic, but her heart still had doubts. It wasn't a good position to be in, Tony knew. He had been at that point with Wendy, years ago. She hadn't been outright abusive but the relationship had been over for awhile by the time they both let it go.

Tony loaded the bags into the trunk of Mark and Sophie's car and pretended not to listen in on the tail end of Stacey's conversation. She was beginning to sound irritated, which Tony took as a good sign. "Lance. I am having dinner with my parents, then I will be home." She frowned. "I've already talked to Annie." A frustrated sigh followed. "She's not military, Lance. Listen, I'll be home soon. We'll make dinner quick. Did you want to meet us at the restaurant?" No one in the group looked happy about that suggestion. "Okay, then. I'll bring you something home. I love you. Bye."

There was an awkward silence after Stacey hung up, which lasted several moments before Mark opened the car door. "Well, then. Since it sounds like we're going to get our meal in peace, let's hurry up and get to it."

* * *

><p>Tony wasn't sure what to expect when they pulled up to Stacey's house. It was an unassuming two-story home on a cul-de-sac, and the only thing that set it apart from the neighboring houses was that it was light blue. All the houses on the circle were painted in pastel shades, "like giant Easter eggs," according to Annie.<p>

The plan was for Tony to go inside with Stacey and Annie to lend a little moral support while Stacey told Lance things had to change. Tony might or might not get the chance to give Lance a piece of his mind, then Stacey would give him a ride to his hotel. If Lance let her. Tony had the number to a cab company in his cell phone, just in case. They would see how things unfolded. Tony didn't expect miracles, but he did want to see progress.

Lance was not as imposing a man as Tony had expected. He was a little less than six feet tall, and it was pretty apparent he'd never actually been a SEAL from his physique. He'd probably insist he had let himself go. The man wasn't obese, but he was plumper than Tony would have expected from a man who loved to talk up his "glory days." He was balding, with hair cropped close to hide it, and he crossed his arms over his chest, glaring as soon as he saw Tony. "Who the hell are you?"

"Very Special Agent Tony DiNozzo, NCIS." Though it killed him to do it, Tony offered a handshake. He wasn't disappointed when Lance didn't take it.

"What the hell's NCIS got to do with my family?" Lance asked. "I haven't been in for a long time."

The DiNozzos were nothing if not masters of bullshit, and Tony laid it on, figuring Lance hadn't done intense research on NCIS' jurisdiction. If Lance believed his own lies after all these years, he might buy it. If he didn't, it might push him into admitting he never served. "Well, yes, but once you've been in, if there are allegations of mistreatment of a minor, we're obliged to investigate."

"What mistreatment?" Lance scowled. "Annie, what lies have you been telling these people?" He looked back at Tony. "The girl exaggerates. She doesn't like it when I have to be the authority around here while Stacey's gone." His death glare turned to Stacey. "Why'd you even let him come all the way out here for this? I don't want to waste NCIS' valuable time."

"The man's got to do his job," Stacey said, her tone perfectly calm. "Besides, he has as much of a right to Annie as we do." So she was going for bold. Tony kind of liked this.

Lance's eyes narrowed. "What'd you say your name was again, _Agent_?"

"DiNozzo," Tony said, James Bond-style. "Anthony DiNozzo."

Lance laughed, a bitter sound. "Oh, I see." He nodded. "I get it. You feel responsible for her now because she told you her story." He was obviously trying to sound reasonable, but Tony wasn't biting. "I promise you, she's fine here. Sometimes teenagers will be teenagers, you know, and I've got to come down on her. Tough love. I'm sure your dad did the same thing."

If tough love meant sending one's child to military school, then Senior certainly had. But no way was Tony telling this asshole that. "This isn't about me." He had to play the nice-guy card at first, as much as he wanted to kick Lance's ass. "Sometimes, there's a line between a lecture and tearing a kid apart. Maybe you get a little too emotional and cross it sometimes. But there's absolutely no reason you should ever hit her."

Lance snorted. "You know, that's part of the reason society's getting so namby-pamby these days. No one believes in spanking a child anymore."

"First of all, a teenager is a little old for spanking." Tony stared Lance down. "Even if you disagree, I think I can definitively say that picking someone up by the front of their shirt and slamming them up against the wall isn't spanking. That's what we at NCIS like to refer to as assault." He took a step forward, lowering his voice to a dangerous tone. A quick assessment had revealed Lance wasn't going to cooperate. "Remember, Lance, I've seen your service file. I know all your secrets." It worked perfectly, whether Lance had rewritten history in his mind or not. Tony was onto him, and he was no longer shy about letting Lance know it. "And if you ever lay one finger on my daughter again..."

"Whoa, buddy!" Lance took a couple of steps back. "Where do you get off playing daddy? You've been a non-person in this kid's life since she's been born!"

"That may be." Tony didn't back off. "However, now that I'm here, I'm not going anywhere." He took another step forward, trying to push his luck. "So you can get used to seeing a lot of me."

They were only about a foot apart now, and Lance pushed Tony away. "Get out of my face."

In a quick move, Tony grabbed Lance's arm, spun him around, and put him on the ground. So much for SEAL reflexes.

"What the hell is your problem?" Lance struggled to get free.

"Oh, sorry." Tony let go and stepped away. "Gut reaction. You were coming perilously close to assault on a federal agent and I'm trained to protect myself. You know how it is."

"You're lucky I don't deck you," Lance threatened, "coming here and insulting me and my family this way. Stacey, tell this guy to get the hell out of here."

"I would _love_ for you to hit me right now." Any pain Tony suffered would have been more than worth it for the chance to defend himself.

"Stacey!" Lance's tone was sharp.

"I'm sorry, Tony," Stacey said, looking sheepish. "You're not exactly catching Lance at his best. I'm sure he's been worried about Annie."

"That's okay," Tony played along – at least he hoped Stacey was playing at something and not actually escorting him to the door. "I'm worried about her, too." He moved toward the door, and Stacey stepped in close.

"I'll talk to him tonight," she murmured. "I'll tell him he has to change."

"What the hell are you telling him, Stacey?" Lance asked. "How many words does your over-educated brain need to say, 'get out'?"

Tony looked into Stacey's eyes, then Annie's. He hoped Stacey had grown a backbone. This wasn't the end of this conversation. "I'll check in with you in the morning. I'm gonna catch a cab to the rental car place and I'll take you to school tomorrow, kid."

"Cool!" Annie stepped forward to hug Tony, and he was quick to reciprocate.

"We can talk more tomorrow," Tony said, directing his words to both Stacey and Lance.

"Don't count on it," Lance growled.

"Oh, actually, you sure can." Tony waved and stepped out the door, hoping cab response times had gotten quicker in Columbus than they'd used to be. He called his cab, then wandered toward the sidewalk to wait.

Tony had Annie's cell phone number, and he would give her a call as soon as he got to his hotel to see how Stacey's talk with Lance was going. It was nice having a spy on the inside.


	11. Time to Fight

_ I could give you a million excuses for the delay on this, but I got majorly blocked. For kind of a long time. And then got distracted by other fandoms. My apologies for the delay, and thank you all for your patience. To any new readers – welcome aboard!_

* * *

><p>Getting Annie situated at school had been the easiest task of Tony's day. He had flashed his credentials, explained the situation, and when the school's office called Stacey to check on the story, she verified it.<p>

The situation with Lance was stickier. Per Annie, Stacey had made threats, Lance had made worse threats, and there had been very little progress made. Lance had eventually promised to "go a little easier" on Annie and Stacey, but if Tony had voiced his thoughts on how that would go aloud, he could have made a sailor blush. And he'd learned a _lot_ of new words from sailors.

After dropping Annie off at school and assuring her she could call him if she needed anything, Tony went downtown to pick up a copy of Annie's birth certificate. He knew he'd need it in his arsenal if things kept going the way they were headed. With him listed as the father, that had been no trouble at all, and Tony tucked the document in the glove compartment of his rental car. He had one more stop to make while he was downtown.

* * *

><p>The reception area of the Offices of Harrelson and Fisk, Attorneys at Law, was swanky and once upon a time, Tony would have felt uncomfortable sitting there, waiting. That was a long time ago, though, and now lawyers' offices were just another part of Tony's every day life. He normally avoided them where possible, per Gibbs' rules, but in this case, it was necessary.<p>

"Fisk" of Harrelson and Fisk was Jackson Fisk, the junior partner and a family law attorney. Also one of Tony's old college pals. They hadn't been in touch in years, but Tony hoped their old friendship could move him up a little higher on the priority list of potential new clients. Besides, from the research he'd done, his old buddy Jack kicked serious ass in the courtroom.

The secretary answered her phone when it rang, and nodded at Tony after a brief conversation. "Mr. Fisk will see you now, sir. Second door on your left."

"Thanks." Tony smoothed his shirt down and walked into the office.

Jack jumped up from behind his desk and came around to greet Tony. "Tony DiNozzo...didn't expect to see you around these parts. Last I heard you were stopping crime in DC."

Tony grinned, shaking his hand. "Still am. Had to take care of a little family business, though."

Jack returned the smile. "Hence, me. So what brings you here?"

Tony sighed. "Short version – my daughter's stepfather is an abusive asshole, but the only proof I have is her word and my gut. If I can't convince her mom to kick the guy out, I'm gonna have to get Annie out of there. Even if it means moving her to DC." He smiled at the look on Jack's face. "I know, right? Me, with a kid. Trust me, I was way more surprised than you, especially considering she's seventeen and I just found out this week."

"Ouch." Jack steepled his hands, moving back to his desk and gesturing for Tony to sit. "Messy, but I've seen worse." He frowned suddenly. "Wait, you said her name was Annie. Is that the missing girl that was on the news, Stacey Fuller's daughter?"

Tony nodded. "You know Stacey?"

Jack shook his head. "Not since you left, but when she ran away, it was on every news outlet in the area. I saw a blurb that she'd been found safe in DC, but I didn't really think anything of it until now."

"It's a big town." Tony shrugged. "But, what can I say? Girl's got guts." He sighed. "Seriously, this stepfather of hers is making her life hell. I'm not going to stand by and let it happen, not when she ran almost five hundred miles away to a dad she didn't even _know_. She trusted me that much. I can't let her down."

"I understand." Jack tapped his fingers against the dark wood of his desk. "The good news is, I've seen more complicated situations. Joint custody's easy, even across state lines...if you have cooperation between the parents."

"And the bad news?" Tony asked, a bit uncertain.

"If you don't get that cooperation from Stacey, this could get ugly," Jack warned.

Tony had suspected as much, but he was prepared to fight. "Just tell me what I need to do."

* * *

><p>Tony's rental car was set up to let him plug his MP3 player into the stereo system, and he'd used his hotel's WiFi to download some Annie-approved songs for the drive from her school back to her house. He wasn't sure if it was a sign of things to come or merely an amusing coincidence that "The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny" started playing as he turned onto her block.<p>

Annie giggled. "How'd you find that one? It took me forever to get the Lemon Demon tracks!"

"I had a little help from McGee," Tony admitted. "He pointed me in the right direction." He figured he'd avoid some of the teasing if he said it was for Annie – which, technically, it was.

Her eyes sparkled. "Did you get 'Geeks in Love,' too? It's totally him and Abby."

Tony hadn't seen it, but he was definitely going to have to now. "Couldn't have all the fun at once, I guess." He pulled up to the curb in front of Annie's house, noting that both Stacey's and Lance's cars were there. He hoped they'd had some serious conversations while Annie was at school, but somehow, he doubted it. He got out of the car and walked Annie to the door.

"Hi, Mom, I'm home!" Annie called as they stepped inside.

"Oh, hey, honey," Stacey called back, emerging from the kitchen into the living room. She looked at Tony apprehensively. "Tony, I'm not sure it's such a good idea for you to-"

"I _want_ him here, Mom," Annie insisted, her jaw set firmly.

Lance came into the room, apparently catching what she'd said. "When you live in your own house, then you can decide who comes in and out." He cocked his head, giving Tony a challenging look. "And I say you leave."

"Fine." Tony glanced at Annie. "Care to have dinner with me, then?"

Annie brightened as Lance glowered. "Sure!"

"Tony-" Stacey broke off as Lance pushed her backwards. It technically wasn't a shove, but it wasn't gentle.

Lance stepped toward Tony. "I'll handle this, Stacey."

"You might want to watch the way you touch your wife, buddy," Tony growled. "Now either you step out of the room and let me talk to Stacey about _our_ daughter, or-"

"Or what?" Lance challenged. "You'll arrest me? I'm afraid you're a little out of your jurisdiction, _Agent_. You step out the door with that girl and I'll report it as a kidnapping."

Tony was moments away from strangling him and was really getting to the point where he didn't care about possible assault and battery charges. "She has a _name_ – and she sure as hell never did anything to deserve the way you treat her."

"Oh, look at you." Lance's tone was mocking. "A whole week and suddenly you know everything about being a parent."

Tony didn't back down. "I know what _not_ to do."

"Is that so?" Lance crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, guess what? Other than that, you don't have squat."

If Tony was one to give into bullying, his career would have been over a long time ago. "I've got a birth certificate, DNA, and a damn good lawyer. You have allegations of abuse and a non-existent service record. I've got no problem pursuing Stolen Valor prosecutions." That task usually fell to agents lower on the totem pole than Tony, but in this case, it would have been a genuine pleasure.

Lance's face flushed an unflattering shade of red. Annie had told Tony one way to get Lance really mad was to question his military tales. "How dare you..." He swung on Tony with a closed fist and though Tony saw it coming, he chose to take the blow because it gave him an excuse to fight back.

"Dad!" Annie called out in warning just before Lance's fist hit Tony's jaw.

Even though he had braced himself for the impact, Tony still tumbled to the floor; Lance was strong. As Tony scrambled to his feet, he waved Annie out of the room. "Go. I'll be fine." She complied, but just barely, backing into the next room but watching from the doorway. Satisfied that Annie was out of harm's way, Tony deflected a second punch from Lance and threw one of his own. It didn't strike dead center on Lance's jaw as Tony had hoped, but it did knock him off balance long enough for Tony to move in and knock him to the floor. It didn't give Lance as wide a range of motion of his arms. Lance did manage to land a hit squarely on Tony's nose, which gave him a temporary advantage as Tony automatically recoiled at the explosion of pain. Tony blocked a follow-up hit, then rocked forward on his knees from where he'd been knocked on his ass. Ignoring his bleeding nose – and, admittedly, Stacey's shouts for them to stop – Tony threw a gut punch, then aimed again for Lance's jaw. When Lance was sufficiently dazed, Tony scrambled to his feet. He wasn't looking to murder the guy, as much as he wanted to.

Lance rose slowly, hissing in pain. "You can forget any chance of seeing _her_ again," he said, pointing at Annie. "I'll see to that."

"What, after _you_ attacked _me_?" Tony scoffed. "We'll see about that." He had to follow up with Annie's school counselors tomorrow; they'd passed along her reports of emotional abuse to Children's Services as required, but Tony wasn't sure what had come of that yet. When the school had Stacey on the phone that morning, he'd at least gotten her to add him to Annie's contact list.

Lance reared around to glare at Stacey. "You called the cops on him, didn't you?" That sneering tone, suggesting she was an idiot if she hadn't...well, Tony wanted to deck him again.

"On him?" Annie asked disbelievingly. "On _you_, maybe. You went after him."

Lance advanced on her, snatching her cell phone out of her hand. He immediately examined it, and Tony gathered from the fury in his expression that Annie had indeed called the police. "You're going to regret that."

"Excuse me?" Tony strode over, putting himself between Lance and his daughter. "Did I just hear you threaten her?"

There were flashing lights outside and a knock on the door. Stacey looked like she'd have rather crawled under the rug, but she answered the door and let the police in. Lance immediately started demanding that they remove Tony from "his" property – despite the fact that it was technically Stacey's house.

After interviewing everyone – though they'd had to get Stacey alone, which had not been easy – the police officers seemed satisfied that Tony had acted in self-defense. He was sure to inform them, however, that there should have been a pending abuse case in the system and he was not going to hesitate to act if he felt his daughter was threatened. The officer dealing with him gave him a knowing look, but said nothing. It probably didn't hurt that Tony had "accidentally" shown them his NCIS ID while pulling out his driver's license when they asked for identification.

When asked if he wanted to press charges, Tony immediately wanted to, but he declined, suspecting that unless Lance was removed from the house immediately – which rarely happened in these situations – Annie and Stacey might be in danger because of his decision. Plus, Lance had a poisonous hold over Stacey and Tony still needed her on his side to work out the custody arrangements smoothly.

After wrapping up their dealing with the police, Tony really wanted to take Annie with him, but he couldn't get Stacey away from Lance long enough to talk her into it. Despite the birth certificate, despite the altercation, Tony didn't yet have the legal standing to keep Lance from reporting it as a non-custodial parent kidnapping, and Tony didn't trust Stacey to stand up for him when Annie wasn't around. So he was low on legal options.

Unsure that Lance would return Annie's cell phone to her – he still had it – Tony slipped a burn phone he'd bought for just such an occasion into her back pocket when he hugged her. It had his cell phone as well as several other important numbers programmed into it – notably the Franklin County Child Abuse hotline. He whispered instructions for her to call him if she felt so much as uneasy. He felt terrible leaving her, but she squeezed him tightly and assured him she'd be okay. Even so, it was reluctantly that Tony said goodbye.

* * *

><p>His nose was still throbbing and bleeding sporadically when he left Stacey's house, so Tony stopped at Mt. Carmel East's ER on his way back to his hotel. It was not only close, but Tony had spent a lot of time there in college, both for himself and friends, because it was always less crowded than OSU's ER. There, he was diagnosed with a broken nose, which annoyed but didn't surprise him, he got taped up, and collected his painkiller prescription. He headed back to his hotel, not stopping at the twenty-four hour pharmacy to fill the prescription. He didn't want to be fuzzy if he had to run to help Annie. There was Tylenol in the hotel vending machine if he really needed something.<p>

As he let himself into his hotel room and got ready for bed, Tony knew he was going to have to redouble his efforts to get Annie away from Lance in the morning. He jumped as his phone received a text message and snatched it immediately.

It was the burn phone's number, but fortunately, it was just an FYI from Annie. _Half-day at school tomorrow. Mom's office in Huntington Bank building on High Street. Lance at "seminar." Meet you at 12:30? - A - _

Tony snorted, remembering the eBay seller's seminar that Annie had mentioned. He went to these things whenever they were in town, never seeming to get a massive increase in his sales and always getting Stacey to pay for them. But if it got Lance out of the way for a few hours, he was all for it. He immediately texted back a confirmation and set the phone on the nightstand where he could get to it quickly. It was going to be a long night.


End file.
